10 Anime With the Worst CGI

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As a dedicated admirer, I can’t help but notice the striking impact of the meticulously hand-drawn elements that instantly grab attention when the second 3D models appear on screen. A rigid walk cycle, an emotionless character, and a texture reminiscent of glossy plastic – these minor flaws echo the strain of a tight budget more powerfully than any soundtrack could ever overpower.

Audience members anticipate an immersive experience, but instead find themselves witnessing a puppet show. Frustrated, they share screenshots of the messy outcome. Poor lighting, inconsistent frame rates, and lack of realistic physics derail the narrative and relegate it to the realm of internet humor.

The following titles have amassed discussions filled with frustration on forums, baffled critiques from reviewers, and a wealth of YouTube compilation videos. These CGI anime productions, marked by failure, serve as a warning to any studio considering shortcuts in their workmanship.

10.
SD Gundam Force 2004

Tiny Mechs, Big Visual Gap

At sunrise, the mobile suits transformed into miniature, chibi-style heroes, complete with outdated polygonal graphics that seemed to grow older as the real-time passed. Meanwhile, the backdrop remained barren, the city streets a dull gray, as if the mouths of buildings were opening and closing like toy hinges.

The action utilized repeated flips, simulated weightlessness with blaster effects, and camera vibrations to create the illusion of an impact. Older viewers found this reminiscent, while younger audiences preferred more visually striking substitutes.

Although SD Gundam Force has become a nostalgic trinket of the past, its CGI fails to captivate us in the same way.

9.
Golden Kamuy (Season 1 Bear Scene) 2018

Meme Made of Fur

In Episode 3, a towering, rugged brown bear was presented, its fur resembling wet furniture and its lighting unlike the snow of Hokkaido. This massive figure stood against Asirpa’s hand-drawn cry, creating an unusual mix of comedy and danger.

Episode 3 showcased a large brown bear with a texture similar to damp upholstery, in contrast to the snowy landscapes of Hokkaido. Asirpa let out a hand-drawn scream that brought a touch of humor to an otherwise threatening situation.

Minutes of insufficient integration overshadowed hours of meticulous character development, leading to GIFs that lasted longer than the spoiler’s lifespan. Later, Studio Geno refined their 2D creatures, but the impact was profound and lasting.

* Careless integration for minutes tarnished the painstaking work of an hour in character development, resulting in GIFs that outlived the spoiler’s lifespan. Despite Studio Geno’s later refinement of their 2D beasts, the consequences were deep and enduring.
* A brief lapse in integration overshadowed a painstaking hour of character detail, leading to GIFs that survived the spoiler period. Despite Studio Geno tightening up their 2D creatures later on, the damage was significant and long-lasting.

Goldens Kamuy continues to be cherished, but each suggestion is often accompanied by a cautionary note regarding “the bear.” An incomplete aspect can cast a shadow on what would otherwise be a strong piece of work.

8.
Knights of Sidonia 2014-2015

Mannequins in Melancholy Space

Polygon Pictures led the way in creating full 3D TV anime, however, the technology at that time was limited and couldn’t fully convey emotions. Nevertheless, Nihei’s horror theme required a sense of terror, but the expressionless, stiff characters lacked the nuanced facial expressions that would have heightened the fear factor.

Aerial battles involving mechanized canines maintained a palpable suspense; however, scenes within the cockpits often showcased robot-pilots expressing dread through expressionless eyes. This contrast served to detach viewers at pivotal moments when emotional connection was crucial.

In the future, more advanced 3D projects effectively addressed many of these issues, but Sidonia’s early creators serve as a reminder of what can go wrong when emotional depth is neglected. A compelling universe falls flat without characters that resonate.

7.
Hand Shakers 2017

Chains, Color Clashes, Chaos

GoHands pursued a captivating scene, filling every pixel with spinning gears and neon echoes. Adjustable focus effects glided over simplified models, transforming the action into a vibrant collage of inconsistent visual qualities.

In a swift and blurry motion, the CGI chains used for battle sequences seemed to turn into streaks, while digital character combinations appeared to drift over urban landscapes that appeared to spin as if on amusement park rides.

In the case of the series Hand Shakers, it became evident that adding complexity doesn’t necessarily increase its emotional resonance if all the elements don’t harmonize effectively together.

The show Hand Shakers demonstrated that having multiple layers does not automatically lead to a stronger impact; in fact, when these layers don’t mesh well, it can actually dilute the overall effect.

6.
Mahou Shoujo? Naria☆Girls 2016

Idol Parody, Idle Animation

Three students from middle school were conversing within stationary cafeterias, their bodies moving in rhythmic four-beat sequences. The surroundings had a feel of the first virtual reality chat rooms, as the characters only slightly corresponded with the voices speaking.

In most idol series, dance sequences – which often represent a significant portion of the production budget – were performed less frequently compared to the display of karaoke lyrics. Humorous references to common tropes in magical-girl shows were lost amidst visually repetitive scenes, leading viewers to label them as “uninspired” rather than interpret them as satire.

The humor fell flat, as it seemed the Naria Girls didn’t realize that a parody requires some level of refinement to be effective.

5.
Forest Fairy Five 2017

Mushroom Mayhem, Budget Nil

The brief installments were supposed to provide enchanting fairy mushroom creatures, but instead, they triggered dreadful PowerPoint presentations. The characters seemed to drift over the grass, yet shadows failed to connect properly, and live-action puppetry resulted in jolting twitches that undermined any adorable undertones.

The textures appeared as if they were cut out from a collection of free graphic elements, whereas the color scheme switched erratically throughout the scenes, giving an impression that someone was rapidly changing display settings on a computer monitor.

The unexpected popularity of Forest Fairy Five emerged from skepticism; audiences flocked simply to observe the location where production standards plunged to their lowest point. In other words, Forest Fairy Five unintentionally became a form of performance art, highlighting just how profoundly one animation project could misconstrue its own medium.

4.
Fist of the Blue Sky: Re:Genesis 2018

Neck Like a Barrel, Punch Like a Pillow

The idea of resurrecting Kenshiro’s predecessor sparked excitement, but the trailer unveiled a protagonist whose neck was more substantial than his rivals’ torsos. The motion capture technology found it difficult to contort those oversized bones, causing every strike to seem as if the laws of physics were violated.

1. The street lamps shone brightly on the slick, rubbery surface, as tense characters twitched uneasily in the shadows, culminating in a series of scattered sparks from strategic points of conflict.

2. Streetlights cast a harsh glow onto sleek, rubbery terrain, with suspicious figures shifting nervously behind cover, ending in a flurry of detached sparks that signified intense struggle.

3. Under the glaring streetlights, smooth, rubbery ground was tensed by shifty, uneasy characters, climaxing in a burst of disconnected sparks from points where fierce conflicts took place.

4. The street lamps illuminated the slick rubber ground where skittish, ominous figures stood, culminating in a spray of scattered sparks as tense battles were fought and resolved.

5. Streetlights bathed a glossy, rubbery surface in harsh light, as shifty, edgy characters fidgeted nervously, leading to a burst of disconnected sparks from the sites of heated skirmishes.

6. Under the glare of streetlights, a shiny, rubbery expanse was tense with nervous, ominous figures, ending in a flurry of scattered sparks that marked the conclusion of violent confrontations.

7. The street lamps cast a glaring light on the sleek rubber ground, where uneasy, menacing characters lurked, ultimately resulting in a burst of disconnected sparks from points where fierce conflicts erupted and ended.

8. Under the harsh glow of streetlights, a smooth, rubbery surface was taut with jittery, suspicious figures, culminating in a spray of scattered sparks that signified resolved battles.

9. The streetlights shone down on a glossy, rubbery floor where skittish, ominous characters stood, ending in a burst of disconnected sparks from the sites of heated conflicts.

10. Streetlights bathed a sleek, rubbery terrain in a harsh light, as uneasy, menacing figures lurked, leading to a burst of scattered sparks that marked the conclusion of intense battles.

In a twist, enthusiasts yearned for the comeback of raw, hand-drawn artistry; however, what they got were rigid, gym-like fights instead. Unfortunately, Re:Genesis failed to regain its momentum in the franchise by demonstrating that mass does not matter when fluidity and coordination are absent.

3.
Kingdom Seasons 1-2 (2012-2014)

Armies of Wax Soldiers

In a striking portrayal of Yasuhisa Hara’s grand war narrative, the opening unfolded with countless eerie warriors, their upper bodies rotating as if on unseen pivots. The crowd scenes resembled antiquated tactical video games, experiencing momentary slowdown whenever horsemen charged.

The individual characters were given more detailed outlines, but the soldiers in close proximity seemed like they were created using a separate program, causing a disruption to the sense of depth when their movements overlapped.

The transition of Season 3 towards nearly complete 2D animation seemed like a form of public amends. It’s clear evidence that inferior computer-generated imagery (CGI) can sometimes act as a barrier to telling compelling stories, with new viewers persisting through the initial story arcs while expressing patience.

2.
Ex-Arm 2021

Screensaver Masquerading as Anime

Trailers left people surprised, the debut stunned everyone. Characters moved smoothly through Tokyo traffic as if they were digital OBJ files, lips moving silently rather than speaking. The camera movements seemed slow and deliberate, like a slideshow, allowing viewers to count each polygon individually.

Studio Visual Flight’s admission of limited anime experience resonated strongly amidst the unpolished explosions and makeshift car chases, reflecting incompleteness throughout their work.

The term “Ex-Arm” was often jokingly called the “lowest bar” on MyAnimeList by critics, while clips became popular for scenes where backgrounds appeared only after dialogue had ended. In this case, the poor CGI wasn’t just a flaw; it was the defining characteristic of the entire production.

1.
Berserk 2016-2017

Heavy Metal, Hollow Impact

Kentaro Miura’s complex nightmare was worthy of awe, but the adaptation by GEMBA seemed rough, as they superimposed a raw, three-dimensional Guts over delicate landscapes. Each strike felt delayed and each clash echoed hollow, like an empty resonator.

The fighting strategy involved repetitive movements that dislodged the weight from the Dragonslayer’s blade, whereas tight shots revealed unconvincing rubber mouths struggling to echo the intense roars emanating from the actors.

In the revamped version of Berserk, the grand solemnity seemed to dissolve within plastic-like shadows; numerous discussions pointed out that static panels conveyed more dynamism than televised brawls. For many enthusiasts, the reboot served as a harsh reminder of how ambition without skill can transform awe into derision.

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2025-04-30 17:20